wh40khomebrewfandomcom-20200215-history
War Ravens
The War Ravens are a notoriously bellicose and unforgiving Successor Chapter created from the lineage of the Ravenlord, Corvus Corax. It is unknown exactly when they were created, but many Imperial scholars believe this Chapter was created during the little-known 16th Founding, which was a part of a series of linked Foundings that occurred between 975-991.M35. This was a tumultuous period in Imperial history that was rife with galaxy-wide insurrections and various xenos threats that continuously assailed the worlds located on the furthest outskirts of the Imperium's borders. Following the loss of several Space Marine Chapters during this tragic era, the War Ravens were one of several Chapters created to form a bulwark against the myriad of threats that beset the Imperium. They were created directly from the genestock of the Iron Ravens, a little-known Second Founding Successor Chapter of the Raven Guard. Since their inception, the War Ravens have writ a legacy of death and destruction in the annals of Imperial history, carving a swathe of blood and ash across the void, their legend growing with each bloody deed and unexpected strike. Their very name has become synonymous with merciless and bloody-handed retribution, meted out on behalf of the Emperor as His harbingers of vengeance. Chapter History The 35th Millennium was a tumultuous era, rife with rising warp storm activity across the entire Imperium, not seen since the Age of Strife. Worlds were isolated by the instability of the Immaterium. The Imperium was also in the midst of a terrible inner conflict, splitting the Imperium into separate twin empires. During this period, the rebellious Ur-Council of Nova Terra dismissed the authority of the High Lords of Terra and claimed separate rule over the Imperium's Segmentum Pacificus. This conflict raged for nearly nine centuries, well into the late 35th Millennium, and resulted in the loss of billions of lives. By 975.M35, the Ecclesiarchy attempted to rebuild the sundered Imperium into a religious state that transcended political differences. Billions die in the religious wars that follow when the Ur-council of Nova Terra rejects the Ecclesiarchy's teachings, unleashing a terrible new civil war, the likes of which have not been seen since the Horus Heresy. The Ecclesiarchy ultimately proves successful and the Ur-Council is overthrown after much bloodshed, the Segmentum Pacificus reintegrated back into the broader Imperium. This lamentable event has come to be known as the Cataclysm of Souls. The power of the Adeptus Ministorum in Imperial politics reaches it zenith in the centuries afterwards, ultimately unleashing the events of the Age of Apostasy in the 36th Millennium. Following the end of the Nova Terra Interregnum, a series of linked Foundings took place in a span of less than two decades. The War Ravens were one of these newly incepted Chapters, created to serve as a buffer force between outlying worlds and the hoards of marauding xenos and the Forces of Chaos that threatened them, focusing on intercepting and eliminating both known and potential threats before they had an opportunity to invade a planet. The War Ravens were also given carte blanche by the High Lords of Terra to bring rebellious worlds back into the fold of the Imperium and to ensure the rule of Imperial law. The War Ravens took their sacred duty to heart and ruthlessly imposed the rule of the God-Emperor upon a faltering galaxy. During these troubled times, the War Ravens garnered a reputation as a bellicose and unforgiving Chapter who ruthlessly put down insurrections, Chaos cults and invading xenos with equal fervour. They tirelessly prosecuted any enemy who dared threatened the sanctity of the Emperor's domains, carrying out terrible bloody-handed displays to serve as stark reminders of the folly of turning from the rightful rule of Terra, and savagely brought to ruin those would dare make truck with the Ruinous Powers. Since their inception, the War Ravens have continued to make fearful examples of those who would dare assail the realm of the Master of Mankind. In response, the High Lords of Terra often call upon this savage Chapter to bring their unfettered wrath down upon a recalcitrant world, an upstart apostate or a Renegade Chapter. Once unleashed, the War Ravens will not stop prosecuting a campaign until they have brought utter ruin upon their foes; their chattels torn down and burned to ash and the remains of their enemies gruesomely displayed for all to see. Only then, do the War Ravens consider their duty done. Notable Campaigns Chapter Homeworld Culture The inhabitants of Morrigan are a savage yet technologically adept warrior people that wage constant tribal war upon one another, even if a neighboring tribe is much larger, with relentless fury, they continuously battle ceaselessly for possession of scant natural resources. Once discovered and brought to heel by the Imperium, the tribes were forced to render up their firstborn sons as a tithe for the regiments of the Astra Militarum. These same sons were then charged to ensure and enforce the continued compliance of their fractious kin. The Morrigan warriors have proved well-suited for the Imperium' fighting forces, though some of their allies have observed their propensity for cruelty when ordered to attack as well as a disdainful attitude to those they consider weak. These troubling traits have also carried over to those who ascend into the ranks of the War Ravens Chapter. The culture of Morrigan peoples demand that a vanquished enemy be watched over with a cold all-seeing eye and any hint of recidivism crushed utterly lest the subjugated rise up in strength against the victor. The War Ravens have inherited this mindset and when coupled with the heritage of the Adeptus Astartes, it has become one of its most distinctive characteristics. Chapter Organisation The War Ravens are only nominally Codex-compliant, preferring to deploy in accordance to their preferred combat doctrine. As decreed by the Codex, the War Ravens array themselves in ten companies, each with an official strength of one hundred battle-brothers and each led by a commander known as a Shade Walker. Supplementing these forces are the specialist warriors of the Chapter - Chirurgeons (Apothecaries), Wardens (Chaplains), Augurs (Librarians) and Forge-Wrights (Techmarines) - and the venerable war engines of the Armoury. The lord of the War Ravens is the Chapter Master, typically known by the ancient title of Shadow Lord. The War Ravens rarely deploy the might of a full company in a single sledgehammer blow, preferring to rely on autonomous, fast moving strike forces known as talons, which can consist of as few as one or two squads and their supporting strike vehicles. Some of these talons are demi-company in size, consisting of fifty battle-brothers, led by one of the company's Prefects (Lieutenants), to act as the right hand of a Shade Walker by providing flexibility and helping to direct their fellow Astartes, spreading their forces across multiple combat zones. A comparatively loose chain of command is utilised by the Chapter, for many of the companies often operate independently from the bulk of the Chapter. The Chapter's officers have devolved command responsibility towards the lower echelons, allowing sub-commanders to take the initiative and make tactical decisions according to immediate needs without interference from higher up the chain of command. This mindset is a direct result of the practices of the Morrigan tribes, who conduct wars against far more numerous foes and are therefore well-practiced in a wide spectrum of unconventional tactics. Individual units are a tightly-knit band of warriors trained and equipped to operate on their own for extended periods. They are well able to live off of the land, taking what few resources they need from their environment or when opportunity or necessity dictates, from defeated enemies. The War Ravens' favoured method of war focuses on rapid strikes, flanking, mobility and, where possible and desirable, stealth. This Chapter is noted for fielding more reconnaissance squads than most other Chapters, every battle-brother being cross-trained to fulfil his assigned role, as well as that of the reconnaissance units. However, the line between the standard tactical squad and reconnaissance squad seems to have become blurred, the two often operating using similar tactics and even specialised equipment. It is also rumoured that this Chapter also engages in far more assassination and sabotage operations than is widely known to Imperial high command. Indeed, there are few eyewitness accounts of the War Ravens waging war on the Imperium's foes - only the dark tales of the aftermath of one of their brutally prosecuted campaigns. Officer Ranks *'Shadow Lord' - Chapter Master equivalent. *'Shade Walker' - Captain equivalent. *'Prefect' - Lieutenant equivalent. Specialist Ranks *'Warden Primus' - Reclusiarch equivalent. *'Warden' - Chaplain equivalent. *'Augur Primus' - Chief Librarian. *'Augur' - Librarian equivalent. *'Chirurgeon Primus' - Chief Apothecary equivalent. *'Chirurgeon' - Apothecary equivalent. *'Forge-Lord' - Master of the Forge equivalent. *'Forge-Wright' - Techmarine equivalent. Line Ranks *'Centurion Primus' - Veteran Sergeant. *'Shade Centurion' - Sergeant. *'Shade-Brother' - Battle-Brother equivalent. *'Shade-Walker' - Scout Marine equivalent. *'Novice' - Neophyte equivalent. *'Postulant' - Aspirant equivalent. Order of Battle Headquarters Companies Combat Doctrine Striking from the Shadows Drawing on the demeanour of the techno-savages of their homeworld of Morrigan from which the Chapter recruits, the War Ravens have demonstrated its skill at reconnaissance and target identification, and its ability to transition from inscrutable watchfulness to rapid attack in the blink of an eye. The War Ravens' Astartes wage war by infiltrating into position, studying their enemy and, when the time is right, striking from the least anticipated quarter and slaying the foe outright in a bloody, yet brief assault. When the War Ravens are dispatched to a recalcitrant world, some foolishly decide to stand and fight, to deny their fate. That is, until such a moment that the War Ravens reveal themselves - their bolters already raised to their temples without their foes ever seeing the approach of these assassins. Inevitably, most enemies capitulate as the Chapter's emissaries would avail the target of their impending doom and offer them a choice - submit or die. Most wisely choose the first choice, however, some foolishly choose the latter. Emerging from amongst the shadows, attacking without warning, the Chapter's methods enable them to engage with foes far more numerous than themselves. After an initial phase in which key targets and weak elements are identified and eliminated, the War Ravens insinuate themselves throughout the region, small battle groups taking up positions from which to strike when the order is given. When the attack comes, it is rapid, overwhelming and conducted with cold, ruthless efficiency. Bereft of leadership, most enemy armies fall apart in short order. When they do not, the War Ravens withdraw back into the shadows, but not in retreat. Rather, they attack again from yet another quarter, bleeding their enemy dry and denying them any chance of counter-attack, regroup or take the initiative. Lightning Assault The War Ravens display a marked preference for the deployment of orbital interface craft, almost to the exclusion of other types of support unit. While, as with all the Adeptus Astartes, the armoured transhuman infantry of the Space Marines remains the core of their operations, the majority of Chapters supplement these forces with a variety of support units, each intended to fulfil a specific goal upon the field of battle. Not so the War Ravens; whether by necessity or tactical preference this Chapter deploys a variety of interface fighters, bombers and assault craft in support of their fast moving infantry forces, shunning the slower-moving armoured columns that typifies some Chapters. This extreme military specialisation is a consequence of the limited manpower and matériel available to the various companies that often operate independently of their Chapter, reinforced by need and circumstance. Due to this preference for prosecuting war in this limited fashion for some time, especially during the eras of the Age of Apostasy and the Plague of Unbelief, this would explain their experience and skill in the deployment of such ad hoc formations and tactics, honed to a keen edge on long since forgotten alien worlds in the deep black beyond the Imperium's borders. These tactics have proven to be a deadly surprise to those forces they encounter in Imperial space. As evidence by the few recorded instances of the War Ravens in combat, their ground assaults are preceded by a wave of interface fighters and gunships and Primaris Lightning fighters tasked with the elimination of anti-aircraft defences and key strongpoints. Following these craft are massed Drop Pod squadrons, packed with the fleet-moving infantry squads favoured by the War Ravens. Though lacking in certain patterns of more recently issued equipment, the War Ravens seem well supplied with Drop Pods, often deploying squadrons with abandon during the closing phases of a void battle. Operating in the deep void and within the atmosphere of a planet as both transport and heavy gunship, these craft appear to be one of the favoured transports for Veteran infantry units among the War Ravens. These infantry formations rarely seek to hold ground, instead seeking to suppress and circumvent the enemy's main strength and defeat them piecemeal. The aim of such attacks is almost always the seizure of munitions and weaponry rather than conquest or simple slaughter, a focus that leaves more conventionally-minded tacticians among their foes wrong-footed when facing them in battle. Chapter Gene-Seed Like their genetic forebears, the Astartes of the War Ravens also share some of the same genetic idiosyncrasies commonly found in those Chapters descended from the lineage of the Raven-Lord, including pale skin with an almost deathlike pallor and hair as black as midnight. This is due to the dysfunction of their Melanchromic organ that allows an Astartes' skin to adjust to variable levels of solar radiation which causes the skin of a War Raven Astartes to lose its pigment. Over time, as a War Raven Astartes ages, his eyes begin to turn entirely black, absent of iris and sclera, which lends them a fearsome aspect that suits their inscrutable, watchful mien. The Chapter also share their Progenitor's deficiencies in several of their genetically-engineered organs, including a non-functioning Mucranoid organ which allows an Astartes to survive extremes of heat, cold or even the vacuum of space. Their Betcher's Gland organ, which allows an Astartes to generate and spit a venomous toxin also no longer functions. Primarch's Curse: Cold of the Void The War Ravens are both insular and taciturn and are often considered haughty and wanting of brotherhood by Space Marines amongst other Chapters. They also possess a well-deserved reputation for merciless slaughter. Should a War Raven Astartes lose their grip on reality, these traits would more than likely be amplified with unpleasant results. When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Battle-Brother, it comes on in three stages: *'Stage 1 - Cold Formality' - The Battle-Brother withdraws even from the company of his fellow warriors, taking refuge in a chill and formal demeanour. In addition, the Battle-Brother tends to speak almost entirely in the language of their homeworld when talking to a fellow Battle-Brother in the presence of a non-War Raven, although they can - grudgingly - speak in Low Gothic if need be. *'Stage 2 - Merciless' - The Battle-Brother has zero tolerance for any enemy, be they heretic, xenos or even fellow humans who might have been misled into rebellion against the Imperium's rightful rule. The Battle-Brother grimly executes any opponent he encounters, even if they have surrendered, possess valuable intelligence or are not front-line combatants. *'Stage 3 - Silent as the Void' - The Battle-Brother withdraws almost entirely from interacting with others and will not lead squads and will almost always carry out missions on his own. Deathwatch Service Notable War Ravens Chapter Fleet Chapter Relics Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The War Ravens primarily wear black coloured power armour with bone colour painted on the backpack vents, faceplate, shoulder pauldron trim and arms (including the coutre pads), vambrace [forearms, and gauntlets armour). Their Chapter iconography is prominently displayed on their left shoulder pauldron while their right shoulder pauldrons display the squad specialty symbol (Tactical, Devastator, Assault and Veteran), which indicates a battle-brother's assigned specialty. A small white gothic numeral, stenciled on the inset of the right pauldron indicates squad assignment. It is not known how they visually designate company assignment. In keeping with their tribal heritage the War Ravens often apply idiosyncratic markings which an be found alongside the more conventional emblems of the Imperium. Chapter Badge The War Ravens' Chapter badge is a white coloured, totemic raven iconography, it's wings outspread, that is drawn in the traditional totemic style of their homeworld. Relations Allies *'Night Ravens' - *'Shadow Talons' - *'Winds of Fury' - Enemies *'Carrion Crows' - Notable Quotes By the War Ravens Feel free to add your own About the War Ravens Feel free to add your own Gallery War Ravens_Shade-Walker.png|A War Ravens Shade-Walker (Scout Marine). Category:Imperium Category:Raven Guard Successors Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Founding